Botelho's comments were hypocritical

Posted: Tuesday, January 29, 2008

The Juneau Empire on Jan. 22 reported on a ceremony to honor Martin Luther King and all the meaning behind "all being equal." I found Mayor Bruce Botelho's comments to be some of the most hypocritical I have ever seen. He was quoted as saying that "Alaska Natives were not allowed to make a claim on land or gold, and education was separate but equal. Thank God it is our past, we cannot forget these things."

This is the same person who just a very short time ago (as the representative for the city of Juneau) led private negotiations with Southeast Alaska Conservation Council and Coeur Alaska that totally excluded Goldbelt (an Alaska Native corporation) from participating. The result was Goldbelt was denied the ability to develop its own property as they had planned for many years. They gave up very valuable land long ago in the selection process with this very vision of the future in mind and have every right to develop it in a responsible way.

Our mayor has no right to discriminate against these people, or anyone else for what seems to be his personal wants in the name of City and Bureau of Juneau.